Money hacks How to send Christmas gifts abroad

The rule is simple here. The earlier you send your gifts, the cheaper the service. It is already too late to use Royal Mail's lowest-priced option for most overseas destinations, but there are still plenty of other services, including standard, international tracked and signature, to choose from.

- Sandra Haurant

Send early

The cut-off dates vary by country. For example, it is 1 December for Australia and New Zealand, 10 December for the US, Canada and Poland and 14 December for France. Consult the Royal Mail website.

Within the UK, the latest recommended date for Royal Mail's economy service is 16 December but, again, there are more expensive options with later cut-offs.

Its special delivery guaranteed service runs until 23 December but, remember, postal workers plan six days of strike action in December, including on Christmas Eve, so this isn't the year to wing it.

If you decide to use a courier you have more time. To send to Australia, pack and post by 20 December. A last-minute parcel can make it under a Christmas tree in the US if you send it on 23 December, as long as you choose the right service.

Compare costs at brokers

If you are sending a small parcel, a post office is usually the best place to start.

For heavier parcels, the cheapest way is likely to be to use a broker, or discount parcel comparison service, such as ParcelHero, ParcelCompare or ParcelBroker.

“These buy space in bulk with all the major couriers, then pass on the savings to customers, so it’s cheaper than if you book direct,”  says David Jinks, the head of consumer research at ParcelHero.